Nigerian designer Florentina Agu is instinctively curious. But she just doesn’t want to find answers to things, she wants the story behind them and their cultural essence too. It’s been the core of her creativity as a designer. During the pandemic, she asked herself: “Can fashion be playful, and sustainable while filling the gap it was expected to?” While the response didn’t come immediately to her, she decided to take on the mission by kickstarting her fashion label Hertunba which has now grown in five years to become a well-known brand in the Nigerian fashion ecosystem. The brand has also managed to capture the attention of celebrities including Meagan Good and Jackie Aina.
From an early age, Agu had an interest in fashion. Her earliest memory, she says, was filled with revamping her parent’s clothes. She would make her way into her father’s closet and take pieces of his old clothes which she would tear and turn into dresses. “I grew up in a home where maybe I might get a Christmas dress, but there was no shopping,” she tells ESSENCE.com. “There was no shopping for clothes. So that pushed me into having to be creative at an early [age] because when people give you clothes, it might not be exactly what you like. You have to make it into what you like.” The designer’s mother also played a role in legitimizing her future dreams. Agu details that when she was 10, her mother told her of a dream where she saw her as a famous designer, exhibiting her collection in Paris, and how there had been a standing ovation because she made a design that set the standard.
By 13, Florentina combined her inspiration from her traditional Igbo upbringing with fashion by learning to sew. At this age, she also found creative ways to excel academically, to her this was by associating her lessons with the colors of teacher’s outfits, according to an interview with HerNetwork. Her grandmother served as a source of inspiration too: “As a child, I would watch my grandmother weave intricate designs, and that memory is still alive in my mind.” Through this pivotal figure, Agu grew a love for traditional craftsmanship.
Agu’s fixation on fashion was also born from the frustration of not using the knowledge she’d gained for two years learning how to kickstart a fashion business on YouTube–it was strengthened by key classes she took at the University of Port Harcourt. Her frustration slowly became anxiety in the middle of the pandemic, and with a corporate role in insurance, real estate, and marketing, she gave her best.
Hertunba started from the previously mentioned burning desire which swiftly became the designer’s instrument for creative self-expression in 2020 when she officially launched the brand. She would make pieces, wear them, and make videos, which she would post on social media platforms. At a certain time, a video of hers had gotten a million views on Twitter and Instagram—and that changed everything.
Aesthetically Hertunba offers women an exuberant feminine essence that is playful, vibrant, and empowering. While the brand is only five years old, Florentina has been quite energetic in putting out 15 collections. One of the brand’s prominent and recent collections is titled “The Women Before Us” which pays homage to the powerful female icons who shaped the history and legacy of the Benin Kingdom—women Iike Emotan, Iden, and Queen Idia— the first queen to go to war in the Benin kingdom’s century-long existence.
Florentina lived part of her life in Benin and was accustomed to the cultural norms there. She tells ESSENCE.com how to this day, the Oba, or the king, still makes a public announcement and people have to follow him despite living in a democratic country. She details the numerous superstitions that are closely associated with the city. The collection reimagines what these formidable figures might wear if they lived in today’s world while introducing materials that explore the uniqueness of Benin. “The Women Before Us” collection consisted of a knit dress, detailed with beadworks, striking kaftan pieces, a handwoven maxi dress, and a captivating geometric dress.
Her forthcoming collection “Catharsis” is inspired by her innermost musings. It encompasses the designer’s aim to connect her emotional distress and pour her grievances into a beautiful body of work. “For me, the collection [explores] how my life has been–no matter what I’m going through, I always ensure that my light is shining.” She shares that it’s a beautiful collection–Agu envisions it resonating with her customers. “I’ve considered the feedback we have gotten, and I have tried to replicate them on this new collection,” she shared.
She tells me about one of her most vulnerable moments. Here Agu details how during a Hertunba London pop-up last year; three black women in their sixties came up to her to speak about their appreciation of the design work she had on display. The designer added that they shared how it was inspiring to see a young African woman thriving. For Agu, this was a moment filled with a rush of shock and inner excitement–she was short of words–she recalls tears running down her face. Agu expresses that it’s one of the most beautiful memories she will cherish for years.
There is a lengthy list of what she is currently grateful for considering how Hertunba has skyrocketed within the global fashion industry. Despite this, she tells me that she appreciates the time she started her buzzy brand the most. She is equally grateful for the women who have supported her creative journey. “As a Black creative, it feels good to have a community of people that are not just buying, but they understand that it’s not easy and are supportive of what you’re doing,” she adds.